United States Foreign Secretary, Hillary Clinton wound up her three-day tour in Tanzania on Monday with a pledge to help the country in solving its energy crisis.
She said her government will help Tanzania get 3000 megawatts and thereby bring to an end endless power blues which have been dogging the nation for over two decades now.
Although she was not specific on when the 3000 megawatts would be attained, however, one thing is certain, US firms have lately been investing heavily in gas mining where the country’s potential is second to none in Africa.
Last month, a US private energy firm, Symbion Company, bought the controversial thermal powered plant, Dowans which was brought in the country through the assistance of equally controversial businessman, Rostam Aziz.
The US energy company is already planning to transform the plant from thermal to gas powered.
According to a statement released by Tanzania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation last Friday, the US Foreign Secretary’s short tour to Tanzania was a friendly visit.
But according to observers, the foreign secretary’s visit to Tanzania was aimed at repositioning the US in the country, especially in the mineral sector.
Observers say the US government has special interest both in the energy and mining sector, and especially uranium.
They say the US government is fearful of uranium landing into the hands of what it describes as rogue states, the Islamic Republic of Iran and North Korea.
The US government’s fear is actually strengthened by the alleged involvement of a Tanzanian, Mohamed Ghailani, in high profile terrorism against the US.
Ghailani was last year sentenced to a life imprisonment by a US court for his role in terrorism.
And the US government appears to be convinced that only by strengthening its physical presence in Tanzania would it be able to monitor terrorist activities in the country.
The purchase of Dowans thermal power plant by a private US energy company is also seen by observers of the Tanzanian political scene in the same vein, namely, ensuring that the energy sector does not fall in the hands of people who could be used or controlled by terrorist.
“In short, the US government is very uneasy about the involvement of the Arabs/Persians in Tanzania’s energy sector that include, among others, the oil industry,” an analyst told the blog recently.
By Attilio Tagalile
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